Let your soul breathe

　　Six days after my minor surgery, I felt much better. Stretching my arms, twisting my waist, and kicking my legs to loosen up my muscles, I felt more energetic.

　　I picked up a cup of hot water, grabbed a magazine, and began to savor it. The sincere and touching stories moved me; the thought-provoking philosophies enlightened me; the gripping plots captivated me; the inspiring stories of growth encouraged me… Before I knew it, two hours had passed. Time flies! Looking out the window from the sixth floor, I saw a bustling scene on the trade street. Shopkeepers, vendors, and those selling miscellaneous goods were all busy at work. Pedestrians thronged the street, and the cries of small vendors rose and fell. Looking down at all this, the scroll painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" came to mind.

　　I couldn't help but gaze into the distance, lost in thought. If I hadn't taken sick leave, what would I be doing right now? This morning, I reluctantly crawled out of my warm bed after several attempts, hastily ate a mouthful of breakfast, and rushed off to work. Then, I found myself surrounded by mountains of files, endlessly organizing them, losing myself in the process. Day after day, I'm so busy I barely have time to breathe, yet I don't even know what I've accomplished.

　　How I long for a moment of rest, to enjoy some quiet time for myself, to let my thoughts wander, and for my soul to breathe freely. Now, I finally have that precious time. Suddenly, the house feels incredibly quiet. Compared to the bustling scene of relatives, friends, and colleagues visiting me the past two days, it's much quieter and more peaceful. In this three-bedroom, two-living-room house, it's so quiet that you can only hear the ticking of the clock, so quiet that you can hear your own breathing, so quiet that you can hear your own heart pounding.

　　This reminds me of what Richard Herman, a British man, said: “Once, I was enjoying a leisurely day in my garden, eating, picking raspberries, and sunbathing. But one of these companies called, and I was furious. I’m busy all day, and I finally get a moment of peace. I hate these unrelated companies causing trouble.” Richard Herman sued the company that made the telemarketing call and successfully recovered £195. This example illustrates how important peace is to people, and how important it is for the mind to find peace.

　　Often, we find ourselves in the hustle and bustle of the city, unable to release the tension within us that needs to be eased. Only in moments of tranquility can we find our true selves and enjoy our own personal space. Tranquility is a wonderful and pleasant feeling; possessing tranquility is possessing spiritual abundance; possessing inner peace is possessing everything in this world.

　　At this moment, I feel that time is so precious. I can't bear to look back any longer, so I quickly turn around and quietly enjoy it all, seizing the time to do what I want to do, afraid that if I'm not careful, every second will slip away...

　　"Life belongs only to this moment, and can only be realized in this instant." Create more peaceful moments for yourself, capture inner joy, and let your soul breathe freely!